Michigan Keeps Rolling, Despite Harbaugh’s Suspension

Even without Jim Harbaugh, the Michigan train keeps chugging along. In the midst of a tumultuous week that included Harbaugh being suspended by the Big Ten amid the ongoing sign-stealing saga, the No. 3 Wolverines went into Happy Valley and handled business against No. 10 Penn State with a 24-15 win at Beaver Stadium.

Perfect Season Continues

With the win, Michigan improved to 10-0 with a trip to Maryland on deck before the highly anticipated showdown with No. 1 Ohio State. Michigan hadn’t faced many tough teams to this point in the season, and the Wolverines were able to stay undefeated in a tough road environment in a game that proved to be a defensive struggle.

Ground and Pound

The Wolverines and Nittany Lions combined for only 134 passing yards as both teams leaned heavily on the ground attack. At one point in the second half, Michigan ran the ball on 20 consecutive offensive plays as it was content to chew up the clock and play the field-position game.

Explosive Runs

In the first half, the approach worked as the Wolverines reeled off a few explosive runs, including a 44-yard burst from Blake Corum and a 22-yard touchdown run from Donovan Edwards.

Penn State’s Struggles

The Wolverines were able to build a 14-3 lead midway through the second quarter, but Penn State put together its best offensive drive of the game before halftime. The Nittany Lions went 75 yards and 10 plays and reached the end zone when quarterback Drew Allar plunged in from 11 yards out on a designed run.

Key Turnover

Penn State was back on offense to open the second half and appeared to be putting a drive together. Allar picked up a first down on a third-down run near midfield, but was stripped. Michigan recovered the fumble on what proved to be one of the most pivotal plays of the game.

Michigan’s Dominance

The turnover gave Michigan good field position, and the offense went to work. The Wolverines called 12 consecutive runs and eventually stalled inside the 10. Michigan kicked the short field goal to go up 17-9 with 3:36 remaining in the third quarter.

Shutdown Defense

Penn State’s offense struggled to gain momentum, as the Nittany Lions gained a total of 23 yards in their next four drives. Michigan’s defense held strong, forcing Penn State to turn the ball over on downs.

Sealing the Victory

On the first play of the ensuing drive, Corum broke loose for a 30-yard touchdown run to increase the lead to 24-9 and put the finishing touches on the Michigan win.

Michigan’s Rushing Success

Michigan finished the day with 227 rushing yards. Corum led the way with 145 yards and two scores on 26 carries while Edwards contributed 52 yards and a score on 10 attempts. McCarthy, who had 34 rushing yards of his own, ended up attempting only eight passes.

Harbaugh’s Suspension

The off-field drama continued to mount as the NCAA investigated a Michigan staff member for alleged in-person scouting operations. The Big Ten suspended Harbaugh, but Michigan presented its case in court in hopes of a temporary restraining order being granted.

Penn State’s Disappointing Performance

On the Penn State side, it was another disappointing result in a big game. The Nittany Lions lost to both Ohio State and Michigan for the third consecutive season. Allar struggled, and the offense failed to perform against Michigan’s stifling defense.